Syria: On The Up

Syria is one of Cox & Kings' fastest growing destinations. Online Marketing Manager Michael Pullman recently visited and discovered why more and more travellers are returning to the country.


Syria seems to suffer from a serious image problem. Of course being branded one of the "axis of evil" by George Bush doesn't help, but I was still surprised by the general reaction when I spoke about my forthcoming trip. Most people reacted like I was taking my life into my own hands. This infuriated me, because the people I know who have been to Syria, from Cox & Kings clients to colleagues and friends, have all said the same thing: Syria is a friendly, welcoming country where one generally feels safer than in London.


Syria is a poor country - unlike many of its neighbours it is not blessed with natural resources (although it is more than blessed with things to see), so tourism is important to the economy. Thankfully there are plenty of broad-minded travellers willing to give Syria a chance, and as a result tourism is on the up. In fact it doesn't take one long to realise why visitors are returning to Syria. Here are a few reasons which soon became apparent to me:

- With few other tourists you can explore the stunning sights, such as the amazing Roman City of Palmyra, in relative isolation

- It's a relaxed country: Locals wear headscarves rather than burqas and there is no need for tourists to cover up beyond wearing respectful clothing

- You can get a beer or drink some excellent Lebanese wine in a lot of the restaurants in Syria (the food is also fantastic)

- Did I mention that Syria is safe and welcoming?

Her Husband's to Aleppo Gone
So wrote Shakespeare in Macbeth, at a time when Aleppo was a cosmopolitan city at the crossroads of the great caravan routes. I had decided to travel to Syria by train from Istanbul to Aleppo (see the excellent Seat 61 website for more information). I arrived in Syria's second city after a 36-hour journey on board the comfortable but basic Taurus Express, which offers clean twin-berth sleeper cabins but unfortunately no restaurant car. Crossing the border into Syria I was immediately struck by how lush and green the country was, as we passed rows and rows of olive trees. I had just 4 nights in Syria, but the roads are good and you can do a lot in a short space of time. The highlights for me were:

The Baron Hotel
I didn't spend much time in Aleppo as the train was delayed by 6 hours, meaning I had just an evening there. I stayed at the wonderful Baron Hotel, which has had some distinguished guests in the past including Ataturk, Agatha Christie, T.E. Lawrence and Charles Lindbergh. As you can tell from that list the Baron's best years were quite some time ago, and looking around the hotel it seems the place may not have been decorated since, but the rooms are clean and the Baron Hotel has a unique charm and atmosphere.

Krak des Chevaliers
On my second day in Syria I travelled to Krak des Chevaliers, an imposing crusader castle in a stunning location offering views for miles around. Krak is well worth a visit, it is one of the world's most famous castles, three stories high with impressive walls up to eighty feet thick in some places.



Palmyra
Palmyra, an oasis city in the heart of the Syrian desert, has some of the world's most impressive Roman remains. After Krak I arrived at Palmyra just in time to see the sun setting over the ruins, a great spectacle when viewed from the hill-fort (left) as the sun turns into a small red ball and the landscape glows orange. The following day I spent more time exploring the site. Wandering between the enormous columns and fallen bits of intricately carved stone, history really comes alive here. The fact that there are so few other tourists adds to the enjoyment. It was definitely one of the most impressive sights I have visited.

The Souqs of Damascus
After Palmyra I spent two nights in Damascus, which is about a three-hour drive from Palmyra. Damascus is a safe, lively city, and is considered by some to be the oldest continually inhabited city in the world. The highlights of Damascus are the Umayyad Mosque and the lively souqs which are excellent for souvenirs, particularly jewellery.

The Syrian People
Wandering around Damascus you will be asked where you come from, and when you reply the response is always the same: "Welcome to Syria". Syria used to make an excellent combination with Lebanon, another country blessed with a variety of splendid sights, which unfortunately is currently on the FCO only-essential-travel list. In the meantime, don't believe the nonsense you may read in the newspapers: Syria is a safe, warm, welcoming country with more than enough to see and do to justify a six-hour flight, or a 30-hour train journey.

Cox & Kings offers shorts breaks in Damascus staying at the Talisman Hotel from £995 per person including flights. The 8-night Journey to Palmyra group tour starts from £1117 and visits Damascus, Aleppo, Krak des Chevaliers and Palmyra, and can also be taken individually as a private journey. Cox & Kings offers a combined tour of Syria and Jordan, and can also arrange trips aboard the Taurus Express from Istanbul to Aleppo. Call 020 7873 5000 for details.

Going Oriental in Prague

Cox & Kings' Online Marketing Executive Michael Pullman stayed at the new Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Prague last weekend.

With Prague already offering a Radisson, a Marriott, a Four Seasons and a number of independent five-star hotels such as the Hotel Savoy and the Golden Well, you may think the city needs another exclusive hotel like it needs another spire. Yet the Mandarin Oriental group obviously thinks there is the market for more, investing heavily in building a new hotel in the heart of the city’s Old Town, which opened in November 2006.

The Mandarin Oriental is built on the site of an old monastery, and this becomes apparent in the labyrinth-style layout of the hotel. The opening of the hotel was delayed by two years due to ongoing excavation of this important 14th century site, and whilst this must have caused annoyance to the group’s accountants the hotel itself benefits from a nice display of artefacts discovered during the renovation.

The rooms themselves are what you would expect from a Mandarin Oriental: there’s a bed that could house a small town; a bathroom with more mirrors than Stringfellows; a coffee-table-sized flat screen television; and an entrance foyer, all finished with the same dark wood imported from the Far East.

Location-wise, the hotel couldn’t be much better, being on one of Prague’s quiet cobbled streets but very much in the thick of things, just a five-minute walk from the main tourist site, Charles Bridge, and a short but gruelling walk up the hill to Prague Castle.

This was my first visit to Prague, and if I’m honest I was half-expecting the city to be overrun with drunk stags, but fortunately this wasn’t the case. There were groups of lads to be seen, but no bad behaviour beyond a few half-hearted football chants echoing around the city’s small cobbled streets.

Apparently 7 million tourists visited Prague in 2006, and it is Europe’s 6th most visited city. But given that it really is as beautiful as everyone says, together with the low cost of living and the famed nightlife, that is not surprising. Yet being off-season when we visited, the sites were relatively quiet, including Prague Castle, which is a stunning complex and worth the uphill trek.

Aside from sightseeing, my favourite part of the weekend was visiting some of the atmospheric local bars and restaurants. Many of these places look unchanged for centuries, one restaurant we ate at was typically decorated with a rather odd collection of ornaments, old photos and medieval swords, creating a peculiar atmosphere, that felt like eating in an antiques shop. Eastern European cuisine is derided but on a cold day a plate of goulash and bacon dumplings washed down with a litre of beer was ideal.

For an afternoon drinking I can particularly recommend the Golden Tiger, a rather spartan, smoky beer hall, which may be too authentic for some people’s taste but which serves the best beer in Prague according to one drinker. Distinguished drinkers at the Golden Tiger include Bill Clinton (left). Whilst the shared tables mean you will probably end up plonked next to a group of locals enjoying an afternoon session, we discovered it’s best not to try and keep up with them.

As most people are aware, the Czechs take their beer seriously. Whilst Staropramen and Budvar are available almost everywhere in the UK now, Prague offers an excellent array of dark beers and light beers varying in strength up to 13%. The locals we spoke to considered Pilsner Urquell to be the best lager. Either way it all starts to taste the same after a while and is a great way to unwind after walking, which is something you can do plenty of in Prague. With most of the key sights being navigable on foot it has everything one could want from a short break destination.

Michael Pullman

With Cox & Kings offering 3 nights at the Mandarin Oriental for the price of 2 until the end of March, now is an excellent time to savour the latest addition to the city’s luxury hotel sector.